Conventional hospital gowns usually open in the front or back and have a number of drawbacks. They do not provide sufficient privacy and comfort to the patient and do not easily accommodate the connection to or removal from the patient of various medical tubes, leads, I.V. lines, catheters, etc., that a patient is subjected to. Conventional gowns cannot be changed while a patient is hooked up to the medical tubes, lines, etc., and it is difficult to examine a patient without removing the gown. Also, some conventional hospital gowns are not acceptable for X-ray, C.T. scan, or radiation therapy procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,736,900 to Koren discloses a garment having a side opening, but it does not solve the foregoing drawbacks. U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,026 also discloses a side opening garment, but it does not provide the desired privacy.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved gown which is uncomplicated, fits well, is comfortable, provides privacy, is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, is easy to change, accommodates medical tubes and leads with a minimum of inconvenience to the patient, and is acceptable for X-ray, C.T. scan, and radiation therapy procedures. It is an all-purpose gown that would serve most, if not all, hospital applications, with "one size fitting most."